ST. LOUIS, Nov. 16, 1998 — This holiday season, the best gifts come in a variety of packages. While CDs or new skis may be included on your shopping list, a recent TeleNation survey indicates 54 percent of Americans surveyed want to receive memorable experiences over expensive objects. Given a choice between travel, concert tickets, sports club memberships and free dinners, over half of Americans said that travel tops their wish list. Last year, the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) found that a record 32.7 million Americans traveled more during the winter holidays than in the past five years. This year, the MSN
™
Expedia
™
online travel service is making it easy for their customers to give the gift of travel to their friends, their family or themselves.
“
Give Travel as a Gift
”
Promotion
The Give Travel as a Gift promotion from MSN Expedia provides customers with a variety of special travel offers to give to friends, family or themselves. This special holiday edition of Expedia Express highlights the information, deals and discounts that are available from Nov. 16 to Dec. 15 exclusively through MSN Expedia. Many third-party offers are included; some restrictions may apply. For more information on offer details, go to http://expedia.MSN.com/ .
Lufthansa Discounts Travel to Europe, Consumers Reap Savings
Nov. 18 through Dec. 12, 1998, customers who book a flight to Europe on Lufthansa from one of 10 U.S. cities, will receive a discount off the regular fare. These discounts are available exclusively through MSN Expedia. Travel must be completed by March 31, 1999.
Special Deals on Packages, Cruises and More on MSN Expedia: Get up to $200 Back
On Cruises and Packages
Book the following cruises and vacation packages from Nov. 16 to Dec. 15, 1998, and receive between $50 and $200 in Expedia Exclusive Savings per couple. That’s on top of the already low prices listed.
Caribbean Dreams
Escape to the Caribbean aboard Carnival
“Fun Ships.”
For only $899 per person, vacationers travel to San Juan, St. Maarten, Dominica, Martinique and Barbados. Originally $1,419, this seven-night Caribbean cruise even has the possibility of a free two-cabin upgrade, depending on ship and time.
Package: Seven-night Southern Caribbean cruise
Price: $899 per person
Accommodations: Carnival’s
“Fascination”
Departing: Select dates from February through March 1999
Expedia Exclusive Savings: $50 per couple
Cruise on Royalty
Worries and cares take a back seat for 10 nights when travelers take this cruise stopping in San Juan, St. Thomas, Curacao, Costa Rica and Acapulco for only $1,099. Originally $1,399, this cruise includes the possibility of a free two-cabin upgrade, depending on ship and time.
Package: 10-night Trans-Canal cruise
Price: $1,099
Accommodations: Royal Caribbean’s
“Vision of the Seas”
Departing: Select dates from January through April 1999
Expedia Exclusive Savings: $100 per couple
The Mediterranean Beckons
The Mediterranean awaits on this 16-night cruise aboard the brand new
“R2.”
Discounted more than $1,000, this cruise whisks travelers to Lisbon, Cadiz, Tangier, Casablanca, Gibraltar, Malaga, Almera, Palma de Mallorca, Mahon and Barcelona for a tantalizing experience. Free hotel accommodations in Lisbon and Barcelona are included.
Package: 16-night Mediterranean cruise with free hotel in Lisbon and Barcelona
Price: $2,699
Accommodations: Renaissance’s brand-new
“R2”
Departing: Select dates from January through March 1999
Expedia Exclusive Savings: $200 per couple
Calling All Adventurers
Travelers can explore the rustic beauty of Alaska this spring or next fall aboard Princess Cruise Lines. This seven-night cruise journeys to Prince William Sound, College Fjord, Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier. We’ve taken $600 off the original price to offer this great package for $899.
Package: Seven-night Alaska cruise
Price: $899
Accommodations: Princess’
“Sea,” “Sun”
or
“Dawn Princess”
Departing: Select dates in May and September 1999
Expedia Exclusive Savings: $50 per couple
Her Majesty Awaits in England
Travelers can explore this regal country for only a fraction of what they would expect to pay. With air fare and hotel already planned for this six-night package, the only thing left to do is pack!
Package: Six nights in London including round-trip air fare, hotel transfers and taxes
Price: $886 per person
Accommodations: London’s White House Hotel
Availability: Now through March 31, 1999
Expedia Exclusive Savings: $50 per couple
Aloha Warm Weather!
Visitors say
“Aloha”
to warm weather and bid farewell to the cold for five nights. A perfect cold-weather escape, Hawaii needs no introduction to travelers as a tropical paradise.
Package: Five nights including round-trip air fare, hotel transfers and taxes
Price: $830 per person
Accommodations: Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Hotel
Availability: Now through March 31, 1999
Expedia Exclusive Savings: $50 per couple
Ski Utah
Skiers delight in one of North America’s premier destinations. In Salt Lake City they can hit the slopes during the day and enjoy the amenities that a major city offers at night. The luxurious Park City resort offers a more naturalistic experience.
Package: Three nights hotel stay, round-trip air fare, and rental car
Price: $469 Holiday Inn Downtown, Salt Lake City
$659 Marriott’s Summit Watch Resort, Park City
Availability: Jan. 4, 1999, to Feb. 12, 1999
Expedia Exclusive Savings: $50 per couple on Marriott package only
Special Ski Trips
As the booking season is reaching its peak now, travelers are looking for the deals that will get them on the slopes for less money. Below are highlights of the ski package specials on MSN Expedia:
Cozy Area, Big Thrills in Colorado
For great skiing away from the crowds, Beaver Creek, Colo., offers the best of all worlds. Only 10 minutes from Vail, this quaint, upscale town is lined with evergreens and crowned with a majestic ridge, catering to a romantic’s desire for solitude.
Package: Five nights in one-bedroom condo, four days of lift tickets included
Price: $639 per person based on five-night minimum stay
Accommodation: Beaver Creek West, Beaver Creek, Colo.
Availability: Jan. 5, 1999, to Feb. 2, 1999
Canadian Slopes Are Calling
Ski, snowboard or cross-country ski at one of Canada’s prime ski areas. Whistler boasts world-class downhill skiing, while offering an eventful nightlife with a multitude of hot spots specializing in international delicacies, live music and bars.
Package: Five nights in condo, four days of lift tickets included
Price: $474 per person based on five-night minimum stay
Accommodations: Delta Suites, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
Availability: Jan. 3-31, 1999
Great Golf Escapes
Golf the Greens of the Caribbean
Golfers can yell
“fore!”
from the lush greens of St. Thomas. While the weather may be frightful at home, the Virgin Islands offer a golfer’s paradise in the winter. They can golf, relax in the sun’s rays, play tennis and sit next to the water at the Wyndham Sugar Bay Beach and Resort. Greens fees, meals and drinks are all included for $280 per night. Availability dates begin in December and run through April.
Resort: Wyndham Sugar Bay Beach and Resort, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Price: $280 per night double occupancy, three night minimum
Features: Deluxe accommodations with daily breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks during bar hours included. Greens fees included.
Availability: Dec. 10, 1998, to April 4, 1999
Enjoy These Sand Traps
Golfers can enjoy a luxurious stay at the Sea Mist Oceanfront Resort on the sandy beaches of South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach. For only $31 per night, this resort awaits with greens fees included for eight different courses. Availability runs from November through the end of January.
Resort: The Sea Mist Oceanfront Resort, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Price: $31 per night per person, three-night minimum
Features: Buffet breakfast, one round of golf per day
Availability: Nov. 30, 1998, to Jan. 28, 1999
Get Great Gift Ideas
Shopping on the Fly
Traveling a lot but still not finished with your holiday shopping? Try turning your airport layover into a shopping voyage. Our reporter checks off her list as her travels take her through eight of the country’s busiest airports. This Travel News article will be available Nov. 16 at
http://expedia.MSN.com/daily/news/november1998/nov16-98airportshopping.asp .
Travel Makes a Great Gift
What better gift can you give your family than that of travel? Whether it’s as simple as a weekend getaway for a couple or as complex as a family reunion for hundreds, a trip is the perfect gift for busy, overworked people, providing the ideal time to re-establish connections with loved ones. Forum managers Terry Nagel and Jamie Sinkiewicz invite you to a chat forum on
“Giving the Gift of Travel,”
Tuesday, Dec. 8, 10-11p.m. EST at http://expedia.MSN.com/daily/forums/family/chat.hts? .
The Gift of Cruising
What could be a more welcome gift than a cruise? Whether you’re looking for the adventure of a lifetime or just a quick weekend getaway, cruise lines work with you to make it easy to give the gift of a cruise. You or the recipient can specify any or all the details about the journey and the destination, and you can choose to pay up front for part or all of the vacation. Flexibility is assured.
The Cruise Forum will host a chat session about giving the gift of cruising, trouble-free, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 10-11 p.m. EST at http://expedia.MSN.com/daily/forums/cruise/chat.hts? .
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